The Four Graces – Queen Victoria's Granddaughters

Yes, I think most of us who know Ilana personally knew that she was "Theresa Sherman" but we were asked not to say anything to avoid any confusion with TFG. I think sometimes we forget that the world of royal history is actually much larger than we writers imagine!

That's for sure, Lisa!! XO

[with close to 100 unique images]

 The book also includes several family trees helping the reader place the extensive cast of characters in historical perspective, as well as a glossy photo section with close to 100 unique images of the protagonists and their extended web of royal and imperial relations!

The book includes close to 90 photos.

Arturo Beéche

=)) =)) =))

The photos alone are a huge treat - there is one of Grand Duchess Elizabeth where she almost takes ones breath away - and the saddest is the funeral photo after the Hessian air tragedy.

[Not quite what I hoped for . . . not about all 4 sisters, August 4, 2011]

A very pertinent review from amazon 

Not quite what I hoped for . . . not about all 4 sisters, August 4, 2011
By
Parkermann347 (U.S.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Four Graces: Queen Victoria's Hessian Granddaughters (Hardcover)

I ordered this book originally in 2008 and waited and waited and got notice after notice from the book seller that once again, this book had been delayed.

That's not my problem with this book.

After reading it, what I thought was that it was supposed to be about all 4 sisters, as in 'the FOUR Graces' - right? Well, having just finished it, it was roughly 90% about Princess Victoria and leaves the other 3 with just very brief mentions here and there.

There are a few wonderful tidbits here and there, letters and diary entries that in around 20 years of reading on the subject I have never seen before. But, it appears that the original concept for this book had changed. When I first saw the ads for this book, I got the idea this book would be similar to 'The Hellenic Dynasty' published by Eurohistory, one that is a larger format photo book with various journal entries and letters to fill it out. Something like the 2 Charlotte Zeepvat books. When I received this in the mail, I was fairly disappointed at how small it was. But, hoping that the content would make up for it, I plugged on, squinting my thirty-something eyes trying to read the teeny tiny print.

And so . . .

After the long wait, the light touches on 3 of the 4 sisters is kind of a letdown. Irene remains a virtual cypher, Ella is only briefly touched on, no deep insights there. Alix is virtually ignored. Perhaps the author really wanted to write a biography of Victoria, and yes there is a need for an in depth biography of this very fascinating woman, but after 3 to 4 years of waiting, the entire book feels like a rough outline of a far more in depth book.

I actually felt the same way.  It was almost like reading The Royal Mob but this one isn't fiction.

Of course, I also mentioned the "long arm syndrome" and how small the print was.

I know that Ilana wrote a very good book, but I, too, mentioned that I would like to know more about Irene.

Heavy emphasis on Victoria, but then she lived the longest and had most of her papers preserved.  Being the grandmother of the Duke of Edinburgh also helped.

I will mention again that Irene burned her papers.  I was in touch with her descendents and they supplied me with about 6 letters.  I did the best with that that I could.

Well I certainly would not agree with that Amazon review . If anything , I  found the book so rich, that one will  to reread it over time to gather it all in ! 

Sometimes, we just can't win! As historians, we tend to favor primary sources, so if there are few if any to be had, it invites criticism. I know for Irene there were blessed few sources, and Ilana has confirmed that. I thought that Ilana was very even handed given that Ella is regarded as a saint, there is little formation about Irene, and Alexandra is still controversial after all these years. There is more information about VMH, and the combined biography does favor her for quite obvious reasons, but even so, there is still criticism about that. Oy.

A good friend of mine read my Nicholas II piece in the Grand Dukes Volume I and thought I "disliked" Alexandra. I actually quite admire her, but I don't think she was the right empress for Russia nor the best wife for Nicholas. As I said, sometimes we just can't win, but I am glad that those who criticize TFG have actually read the book.

My opinion was that I got almost everything what I expected. Indeed you can notice that VMH is the center of this book. But I don't bother that.  The only thing whatmissed were certain photo's. For example the famous picture of the Royal Mob during Ernie and VMH wedding, and the groupphoto of the wedding of Princess Alice and Prince Andrew (1903). And maybe some photo's of family members who are mentioned quite often in this book. I liked also the quotes of VMH about her aunts. And because she lived a big deal at the English court it would be interesting to know more about the relationship between her Britisch relations. But if I could give it a grade, then it would be surely a fat 8.

Thanks for the fat 8!!

Art really had to pick and choose with the photos, Teddy, and I guess that Wedding photo is so ubiquitous that he felt safe leaving it out.  I am glad you liked the book!

I too would like to know more about Irene. In particular, how she and Heinrich coped with two haemophiliac sons.

I will wait to read the book.

Ann

The thing about Irene is she seems to have lived very quietly during life...and that's reflected now as well in the lack of papers etc..
But one would think she and Alix had much to discuss...their sons condition is a striking bond between them. Unless a frank exchange on the topic of haemophiliac sons was taboo? In that AF would maintain "our friend"  would heal Alexi or he would grow out of it etc. But well before WW1 and the revolution, her branch of the Romanovs had lost the throne...in time  it would pass to another part of the family as Alexi's health was too poor for him to rule. She fought this all but certain eventuality for many years . 

In that AF would maintain "our friend"  would heal Alexi or he would grow out of it etc.

Would she?  Alexandra did not mention Rasputin in dozens and dozens and dozens of letters to her brother and sister-in-law. And although she sent Princess Irene regular telegrams to keep her informed of Alexei´s health in November 1912, the name of Rasputin or "our friend" are not mentioned in her letters and telegrams to Irene that have survived either.

In that AF would maintain "our friend"  would heal Alexi or he would grow out of it etc.

Would she?  Alexandra did not mention Rasputin in dozens and dozens and dozens of letters to her brother and sister-in-law. And although she sent Princess Irene regular telegrams to keep her informed of Alexei´s health in November 1912, the name of Rasputin or "our friend" are not mentioned in her letters and telegrams to Irene that have survived either.

Oh I meant in her own mind....she perhaps wouldn't discuss the disease with Irene because in her mind " our friend " would cure it....but normally, one would think this would be quite a topic between them . Who understands better than another mother? But I get the sense  she wouldn't talk about him to others nor liked them to comment about him either unless they revered him as well. Certainly Rasputin was not talked about in letters  to her siblings ....nor I woulkd say in person...unless they brought him up in order to get her to separate herself from him